Article hanger



April 9, 1963 E. c. ITTNER 3,084,802

ARTICLE HANGER Filed Aug. 14, 1961 INVENTOR.

EDWIN C. ITTN ER mazzpgm WM,

ATTORNEYS 3,084,892 ARTICLE Edwin C. lttner, Cass Latte, Minn. Filed Aug. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 131,133 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-4) The herein disclosed invention relates to article hangers on which articles in the nature of tools may be hung and which prevents unintentional removal therefrom.

An object of the invention resides in providing a hanger constructed to permit of rapidly removing the articles therefrom.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a hanger on which a considerable number of articles may be hung.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a hanger by means of which articles having a hole extending through the same may be hung.

An object of the invention resides in providing an elongated support with a plurality of arms extending outwardly therefrom and preferably arranged in a horizontal row.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a keeper movable from a position overlying said arms and to a position clear therefrom.

A still further object of the invention resides in arranging the arms in a horizontal plane.

Another object of the invention resides in providing pivot means for supporting the keeper and in disposing the pivot means with its axis disposed in the plane of the arms and intermediate the outermost arms.

An object of the invention resides in providing latching means for holding the keeper in either of its two positions.

Another object of the invention resides in the particular construction of the latching means.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/ or described.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an article hanger illustrating an embodiment of the invention and showing the keeper in its position overlying the arms.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the keeper in its clear position.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 and showing the structure for securing the stud and arms to the support, said view being drawn to a greater scale.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the latching member.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the stud of the invention.

The invention comprises a support 10 preferably elongated in form and constructed in the manner of an angle bar having a vertical leg 11 and a horizontal leg 12. The leg 11 is adapted to overly any vertical surface on which the hanger is to be mounted and is provided with holes through which screws or rivets 13 may pass for attach- 3,084,802 Fatented Apr. 9, 1963 where the attached end 24 of arm 22 is illustrated. This end of the arm has a reduced portion 25 which passes through a countersunk hole 26 in the leg 11 and which is riveted to fill said hole. The legs 21 and 22 are of the same length and have upturned end portion 27 which help to hold the articles placed thereon from sliding off. The legs 20 and 23 are identical in construction and somewhat longer than the arms 21 and 22 and which have annular grooves 28 cut in the same. These grooves are so positioned that the outwardly facing shoulders 29 formed by said grooves lie in the vertical plane containing the extreme ends of the end portions 27.

Disposed between the arms 21 and 22 is a stud 30 whose axis lies in the plane of the axes of the arms 20, 21, 22 and '23. This stud is attached to the leg 11 of support 10 in the same manner as said arms and which is shown detached from the support in FIG. 8. This stud is formed with a collar 31, the outer surface 32 of which lies in the plane containing the outer ends of the end portions 27 of arms 21 and 22, and the shoulders 29' of the arms 20 and 23. An extension 33 is formed on the outer end of the stud 30 which has threads 34 at its outer end and is unthreaded at its inner end to form an axle 35. On the other side of the collar 31, stud 36 are formed milled flats 36 providing a vertically extending spline 37.

Mounted for swinging movement on the stud 30 is a keeper 40. This keeper is in the form of a bar having two fingerpieces 4 1 and 42 extending outwardly therefrom at the upper portion of the same. The keeper 415 is constructed at the center of the same with a drilled hole 43 and which serves as a bearing for rotatably supporting said keeper for swinging movement on the extension 33 of stud 3%. The keeper 4t) bears up against the surface 32 of the collar 31. For holding the same in position a washer 44 encircles the extension 33 and is disposed adjacent the outer surface of-keeper 40. A nut 45 and a lock nut 46 screwed upon the threads 34 of said stud serve to hold the keeper in proper position. The keeper 40 is formed near its ends with notches 47 which engage the reduced portion of the arms 20 and 23 formed bythe grooves 28 therein. When the adjoining portions of the keeper are disposed in said grooves the ends of the arms 21 and 22 are close up to the inner surface 48 of the keeper. When so disposed tools such as the wrenches 49 mounted on said arms are prevented from unintentional disengagement therefrom.

For the purpose of latching the keeper 49 in its positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, a latch 50 is employed which includes a latch lever 51 shown in detail in FIG- URE 7. This latch lever has a lower portion 52 formed with a slot 53 in the same adapted to snuggly receive the spline 37 on the stud 3i). This spline prevents the latch lever from rotating but allows axial movement of the same with respect to the spline 37. A compression coil spring 54 encircles the stud 3i) and bears at one end against the vertical leg 11 of the support 10 and at its other end against the latch lever 51. This spring urges the latch lever into contact with the rear surface of the collar 31. The lower end of the lever 51 is constructed With two fulcrums 55 which engage the lowermost portion of the collar 31. Extending outwardly from the lever 51 immediately above the keeper 40 are two spaced fingers 56. These fingers are adapted to engage the upper edge 57 of the said keeper when in the position shown in FIG. 2 and to prevent rotation of said keeper thereby. The lowermost portion 52 of the latch lever has a finger piece 58 projecting upwardly therefrom. When this fingerpiece is moved toward the support 10 the lever 52 swings on the fulcrums 5'5 and against the action of the spring 54 to withdraw the fingers 56 from engagement with the edge 57 of the keeper. The fingers 56 are spaced apart a distance equal with the width keeper 4-0 so that when the same is moved to the position shown in FIGURE 3 the said fingers straddle the keeper and hold it from rotation in its free position.

In order to lock the keeper 40 in position a locking device 60 is employed, best shown in FIGURES 1 and 3. A lug 61 is Welded to the arm 23 near its outermost end and which has a hole 62 formed in the same. An extension 63 on the keeper 4t} overlies this lug and is formed with a hole 64 which is adapted to register with the hole 62 when the keeper is in its overlying position. A padlock may be applied to the lug 61 and extension 63 and when so applied holds the keeper from movement and locks the articles upon the arms 20, 21, 22 and 23.

The manner of using the invention is as follows: When the latch lever 51 is moved towards the support it fingers 56 are disengaged from the keeper 4% and the keeper 4% may be manually moved by manipulating the same through the finger pieces 41 and 42 to move the said keeper from its latching position as shown in Fit 2 in which it overlies the arms 29, 21, 2-2 and 23 and to its free position as shown in FIG. 3. In its latched position fingers 56 engage the edge 57 of said keeper and restrain rotation thereof; When the keeper is in its free position as shown in FIG. 3 the fingers then straddle said keeper and again hold it from rotation. When it is desired to lock the articles upon the various arms the keeper is moved to the position shown in FIG. 2 and a padlock applied to the extension 63 and the lug 61 by inserting the bolt thereon through the holes 62 and 6 therein. When the parts are arranged as shown in FIG. 3 tools and other articles having holes in them of sufficient dimensions to receive the various arms are directly threaded upon the arms 20, 21, and 22 to position the same thereon. In the case of the arm 23 the article is first applied to the lug 6'1 and thereafter turned and applied to the arm 23. When the articles are in proper position the leg 12 of support 10 holds the arms away from the surface on which the support 11) is mounted.

The device is extremely simple in construction and can be fabricated at a nominal expense. When the keeper is in its free position articles are readily mounted on the various supporting arms and as many articles as desired may be placed on each arm. After the keeper is in overlying position the articles are positively held in place upon the arms until desired for removal therefrom. The keeper may be latched in either its overlying position or in its free position to permit removal or placement of the articles from or on the arms. When in its overlying position the keeper may be locked from movement by the use of a padlock as previously described. The keeper is quickly shifted from one position to the other and when in overlying position can be quickly locked.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. An article hanger comprising a support, a number of arms extending outwardly from said support and on which articles may be hung, a movable keeper adapted to be moved into a position overlying portions of'said arms to prevent removal of the articles from the arms, and to a position free therefrom means guiding said keeper for such movement and latching means for hold ing said keeper in overlying position or in its free position.

2. An article hanger comprising a support, a number of arms arranged in a horizontal row along said support and extending outwardly therefrom, said arms being free at their outer ends, an elongated keeper, pivot means having its axis normal to said support and horizontal and disposed intermediate the outermost arms, said pivot means guiding said keeper for movement from a horizontal position in which it overlies certain portions of said arms and to a vertical position in which it clears said arms.

3. An article hanger comprising a support, a number of arms arranged in a horizontal row along said support and extending outwardly therefrom, said arms being free at their outer ends, an elongated keeper, pivoted means having its axis normal to said support and horizontal and disposed intermediate the outermost arms, said pivot means guiding said keeper for movement from a horizontal position in which it overlies certain portions of said arms and to a vertical position in which it clears said arms and means for latching said keeper in either of its positions.

4. An article hanger comprising a support, a pair of elongated spaced horizontal arms extending outwardly in parallel relation from said support, said arms being free at their outer ends, pivot means having a horizontal axis disposed midway between said arms and lying in the plane of said arms, an elongated keeper, said pivot means guiding said keeper for movement from a position parallel to the plane of said arms in which it overlies certain portions of the arms and to a position normal to said plane and in which it is free from said arms, and means for latching said keeper in either of its positions.

5. An article hanger comprising a support, a pair of horizontal spaced parallel rods extending outwardly from said support, an elongated keeper adapted to overly the ends of said rods, pivot means having an axis lying in the plane of said arms midway therebetween and parallel thereto, said pivot means guiding said keeper for movement from its overlying position and to a position normal to the plane of said arms in which it clears said arms and means for latching said keeper in either of its positions.

6. An article hanger comprising a support, a pair of horizontal spaced parallel rods extending outwardly from said support, an elongated keeper adapted to overly the ends of said rods, a stud extending outwardly from said support and having its axis parallel to the axes of said rods and midway therebetween, said keeper being rotatably mounted on said stud and movable from its position overlying said arms and to a position normal to the plane of the arms and in which it clears said arms, and a U-shaped latch member slidable along said stud, means for restraining rotary movement of said latch member relative to said stud, said latch member straddling said keeper when in its free position to hold said keeper in its free position and said latch member engaging said keeper along an edge thereof and on opposite sides of the axis of said stud when said keeper is in its overlying position to hold the keeper in its overlying position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN ARTICLE HANGER COMPRISING A SUPPORT, A NUMBER OF ARMS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SUPPORT AND ON WHICH ARTICLES MAY BE HUNG, A MOVABLE KEEPER ADAPTED TO BE MOVED INTO A POSITION OVERLYING PORTIONS OF SAID ARMS TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF THE ARTICLES FROM THE ARMS, AND TO A POSITION FREE THEREFROM MEANS GUIDING SAID KEEPER FOR SUCH MOVEMENT AND LATCHING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID KEEPER IN OVERLYING POSITION OR IN ITS FREE POSITION. 